User Review: Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD

Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD
Above: The current Clip Flashlight CD, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed September 30, 2003 by Joe Walp

Rating:
Design: two-person two-hoop non-freestanding
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: moderate
Weight: 4.5 lbs

This refers to the circa 1999 (blue rainfly) version.

It looks like Sierra Designs is finally quoting real packed weights these days. As I recall, when I purchased this tent in 2001, they claimed its packed weight was 4 lbs.

I used mine for only three weekend trips before deciding to go with a freestanding option. But that reflects more on my requirements than on the quality of this tent. (If you're curious, see my review of Mountain Hardwear Trilight 2.)

Despite its brief tenure, I did make a few observations.

Exactly one person of moderate torso length can sit and dress inside. Accommodating two slender adults for sleeping is cramped.

It's possible to keep the rainfly permanently clipped to the body so that, when pitching during a rainstorm, the body is somewhat shielded from rain. Just stake the body down; erect the poles; and crawl in to clip the body onto the poles.

The DAC Featherlite poles are soft and brittle. Take heed of the manual's warning to avoid letting the shock cord propel the ends together haphazardly; allowing them to do so will definitely deform the end of each tube. Due to brittleness, correcting the deformation must be done gently. Consider grinding it away rather than attempting to press it out.

Due to the slope of the front face, the rainfly entrance overlaps the threshold of the tent considerably. That, combined with water pooling at the flap of fabric shielding the rainfly's zipper from raindrops, tends to create a miniature rainstorm beyond the tent threshold upon unziping the rainfly. Hopefully, the altered zipper path on the latest model has fixed this.

I recommend buying some MSR Groundhog style stakes to replace the factory-supplied stakes at the two rear stake points if there's any chance that sandy soil and wind could conspire against you during the night.

Enjoy and preserve wilderness.

Best wishes.

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